Orthopedic footwear



May 19, 1931. w. H. NlcKERsoN 1,806,409

ORTHOPEDIC FOOTWEAR Filed Aug. 7. 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet l May 19, 1931. w. H. NICKERSON 1,806,409

ORTHOPEDIC FOOTWEAR Filed Aug. 7, 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Fatented May 19 1931 WILLIAM H. NICKERSON, F NEWTON, MASSACHUSETTS ORTHOPEDIC FOOTWEAR Application filed August 7, 1929. Serial No. 384,026.

This invention relates to an orthopedic shoe whose bottom includes an insole, an outsole, and a shank stiifener interposed between the shank portions of said soles.

a The object of the invention is to provlde a shoe bottom, the foot bearing or tread surface of the insole of which is adapted to prevent the deformity of thezwearers foot known as pronation.

This object is attained by the improved form of the foot bearing surface of the insole and of the underlying parts .hereinafter described.

Of the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specifcation,

Figure 1 is a perspective vievsr of a lasted shoe minus the outsole.-

Figure 2 is a section on line 2 2 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a section on line 3--3 of Figure 1. Y p

Figure 4 is a section on line 4-4 of Figure 1.

'Figure 5 is a section on line 5-5 of Figure 1.

Figure 6 is a bottom plan view of the completed shoe.

Figure 7 is a sectionon line 7--7 of F 1gure 6. v

Figure 8 is a side view of the shank stiffener looking toward the outer or under side.

Figure 9 is an edge view of the stilfener.

Figure 10 is a section on line 10--10 of Figure 8. Figure 11 is a section on line 11--11 of Figure 8.

Figure 12 is a section on line 12-12 of Figure 8.

Figure 13 is a section on line 13--13 of Figure 5, looking toward the insole.

Figure 14 is a bottom plan view of the last used in making the shoe.

Figure 15 is a side view of a portion of the last.

Figures 16, 17, 18 and 19 are sections respectively on lines 16-16, 17-17, 18--18 and 19--19 of Figures 14 and 15.

Figures 16a, 17a, 18a and 19a are views similar to Figures 16, 17, 18 andl9, showing the insole by dotted lines.

The same reference characters indicate the same parts in all of the figures.

The shoe shown by the drawings is a welt shoe and includes an insole designated by 15 with exponents, an upper 16, a welt 17, the upper and welt being lasted on a last whose bottom surface is shaped to impart to the shoe bottom the form hereinafter described in accordance with the invention, an outsole 18, and a shank stiifener designated by 19 with exponents, interposed between the shank portions of said soles.

The foot bearing or tread surface of the insole includes a normal fore portion 15a (Figure 13), a normal heel portion 15b, a narrow normal outer edge portion 150 eX- tending between and merging into the normal heel and fore portions. Said portions are called normal because the portions 15a and 15b conform to the fore and heel portions of a normal foot bottom, and the portion 150 conforms to the outer side portion of a normal foot bottom.

In accordance with my invention l provide the foot bearin surface with a raised modified portion 155, rising somewhat abruptly from the normal fore portion 15a and from the normal outer edge portion 150, merging into the normal heel portion 15b, and extending transversely from the outer edge portion 150 to the inner edge of the insole, as shown by Figure 13, said inner edge being therefore raised above the outer edge portion 15a. The form of the shank stil'ener is such that the nodified portion 15d is supported or maintained in its raised form by the stiifener. The area and location of the modified portion 15d are such that said portion`underlies the keystone bones of thefoot which coact to support the weight of the body. Said bones, as is well known, include the first and second metatarsals, the cuneiform, and the various joints of the cuboid region.'- The point in the modified portion 1503 designated by 160 (Figure 13) is located under the central portion of the group of ke stone bones. The point designated by l O (Figures 5, 6 and 13) is located under the central portion of the metatarsal arch.

The arrangement is such that the normal portions a, 15b and 15e, and the modified portion 15d cooperate in supporting the foot bottom in such mannerA as to prevent pronation'of a normal foot.

The shank stifener'includes an obliquely 19d, secured by fasteners 20 to the insole, and

` a curved forward end portion 19e, formed to constitute a slightly concave support for thefoot-bearing portion 170 (Fig. 5) .under the metatarsal arch. v

The oblique arrangement of the ridge 19a A locates the said length portion thereof diportion 170, bearson the inner wing portionrectly under the foot-bearing portion 160, to

rigidly support the latter. The forward end Y of the ridge is spaced laterally from the footbearing portion 170, as indicated by dotted linesv in Figure 13, so that a considerable area of the modified portion 15d, including the 19b and the-forward end portion vv19e, :and is rigidly backed thereby, the said wing and end portions'being stiifened by the ridge. The inner wing portion 19?) is approximately triangular and is widest at its forward end fore and heel portions. The obliquely extend-- attachment of the outsole to the welt to which is the only portion ofthe stiffener located under the metatarsal region indicated by170. 1

Theportionof the shank stiffener designated by 195 and 19e forms a normal fore portion, the portion designated by 19d forms a normal heel portion, and the portion 190 forms a narrow normal outer edge portion extending between and merging into .-the normal ing stiffening ridge forms a modified stiffener'portion adapted to underlie the group of keystone bones. upward from the normal fore and outer edge portions, merges into the normal heel and fore portions, and extends transversely from the outer edgeportion to the inner edge portion of the stiiener, so that it defines one edge of an approximately triangular inner wing having'a relatively wide forward end formed to constitute a slightly concave portion adapted to underlie the metatarsal arch.

The schank of the outsole 18 is molded preferably by a molding operation preceding the orm thereon an obliquely extending ridge 18a (Figures 6 and 7) conforming to the lstiener 4. lridge 19a. The operation of attaching the outsole to the welt, and the subsequent operas tion of leveling the shoe bottom by a leveling machine acting on the outsole, causes the close conformation illustrated by Figures 6 and 7, of the outsole to the stifener, and to the insole.

modified Said ridge is inclinedv The bottom of the last on which the shoe is formed', is shaped to conform closelyto the' 14 to 19, said bottom having in its shank portion a shallow recess 25, which forms the ortion 15d of the insole, as indicated by` otted lines'in Figures 16a, 17a and 18a. Said recess merges into the usual normal surfaces of the last bottom and disappears at the ball portion of the last bottom as indi- 'cated by Figures 14, 15 and- 19.

The usual layer of bottom filler is designated by 26 said layer extending to the forward end of the shank'sti'ene'r, as shown by Fi rel. j yclaim:

1, An orthopedic'shoe com rising an vinsole, an outsole, and a shank stlien'er located between the shank portions of said soles, the foot bearing surface of the insole including a normal ,fore portion,a normal heel portion, a narrow normal outer edge portion extending between and merging into the normal vfore and heel portions, and a raised modified port-ion underlying the groupof keystone bones and the metatarsal arch of the foot,

said modified portion being inclined upward crosswise of the insole from the normal outer edge portion to the inner edge of the insole,

and" inclined upward lengthwise of the insole from the normal fore' portion to the normal heel portion, the shank stiffener being formed to support the portions of the insole, which include the narrow normal outer edge portion, and the modified raised portion, said stiifenerhaving a stiiening rib extending obliquely from the inner edge of the stiffener near the heel end, to a point near they outer edge of the forward end, and underlying the group of keystone bones, the forward end of the stiiener being widened to provide an approximately triangular inner wing at one side of the rib.

2. An orthopedic shoe as specified in claim 1, in which said wing is formed to constitute a slightly concave support adapted to underlie the portion of the insole under the metatarsal arch. y

In testimony whereof I have aiiixed my signature.

WLLIAM H. NICKERSON. 

